The First French Republic 449 M. Gregoire. Surely it is quite unnecessary to discuss what everybody agrees on. Kings are in the moral order what monsters are in the physical. Courts are the workshops of crimes, the lair of tyrants. The history of kings is the martyrology of nations. Since we are all convinced of the truth of this, why discuss it? I demand that my motion be put to vote, and that later it be supplied with a formal justi- fication worthy of the solemnity of the decree. M. Ducos. The form of your decree would be only the history of the crimes of Louis XVI, a history already but too well known to the French people. I demand that it be drawn up in the simplest terms. There is no need of expla- nation after the knowledge which has been spread abroad by the events of August 10. The discussion was closed. There was a profound silence. The motion of Monsieur Gregoire, put to vote, was adopted amidst the liveliest applause : " The National Convention decrees that royalty is abol- ished in France." The Convention, after ridding France of the institu- tion of monarchy, proposed to make its armies a means of propagating liberty and reform throughout Europe. It accordingly prepared a proclamation to be published in those countries which already were, or should be, occu- pied by the armies of the new French republic. The French people to the people of ; brothers and friends : We have conquered our liberty and we shall maintain it. We offer to bring this inestimable blessing to you, for it has always been rightly ours, and only by a crime have our oppressors robbed us of it. We have driven out your tyrants. Show yourselves free men and we will protect you from their vengeance, their machinations, or their return. From this moment the French nation proclaims the sov- ereignty of the people, the suppression of all civil and mili- tary authorities which have hitherto governed you and of all the taxes which you bear, under whatever form, the abolition 413. Procla< mation to nations whose tyrants have been driven out by the French republican armies (De- cember 15, 1792).
